Bobcats Making Headlines

Marshalltown High School 2017 graduate Aspen Chadderdon returned to MHS on March 9 to talk to science classes about her STEM studies in college. She is in her first year at Monmouth College in Illinois.

It’s been nearly a year since Aspen Chadderdon was a student at Marshalltown High School. The 2017 MHS graduate made a return to the school on March 9 to give back.

Chadderdon, a freshman at Monmouth College in Illinois with a double major of physics and biochemistry, spoke to students in the MHS classes of General Chemistry 1, Physics and Organic Chemistry. Her main goal was to talk to current high school students about what it is like to study STEM areas in college, according to MHS teacher Stephen Frese.

Apsen also plays on the Monmouth College soccer team

“Aspen gave some of our junior and senior students an inside look into what it was like to be a STEM student by describing what a typical week might be like, similarities and differences between high school and college classes, and what you could expect from different aspects of the class experience,” Frese said.

Chadderdon also spoke of how the dual credit opportunities at MHS and Marshalltown Community College while in high school allowed her to accelerate past introductory courses when she arrived as a full time college student.

She also talked about the growing career opportunities in STEM, specifically in physics and biochemistry.

“I think my current students found this part of her presentation helpful because it offered up several ideas, more than they had thought of before,” Frese said.

The Marshalltown High School mock trial team qualified for state after a successful showing at the regional contest held March 8 at Marshalltown Community College. Pictured in front row, from left, Gabriela Perez Gonzalez, Phoebe Osgood, Emily Miller and Jordan May. Back row, Nyapukah Gatwech, Carissa King, Gretchen Benscoter, Eli Thiessen and Dylan Roseburrough.

The Marshalltown High School mock trial team qualified for the state competition after a successful showing at the regional competition held at Marshalltown Community College on March 8. The team won both rounds as it competed against 15 other teams from the region with four spots advancing to state.

All four MHS team attorneys: Carissa King, Emily Miller, Phoebe Osgood, and Gretchen Benscoter were recognized on at least one ballot as outstanding attorneys. MHS witness Dylan Roseburrough was recognized by judges in both rounds as an outstanding witness. The team will now prepare for the state competition to be held March 26 and 27 in Des Moines.

The team is coached by Katie Sawer with the volunteer assistant being Peter Hapke.

These students pictured from Miller Middle School have been selected for the prestigious Blank Summer Institute for the Arts & Sciences held at the University of Iowa. Pictured from left, are Zoe Johnson, Erin Stanley, Alivia Eaton, Lilly Duff, Jacob Swartz, Marcus Barker and Jesse DeMeyer.

Seven Miller Middle School students were selected to attend the Blank Summer Institute for the Arts & Sciences, a one-week residential summer program held at the University of Iowa.

Selected from Miller Middle School were Zoe Johnson (Creative Writing), Erin Stanley (Global & Cultural Studies), Alivia Eaton (Math Problem Solving), Lilly Duff (Social Studies), Jacob Swartz (Advanced Science), Marcus Barker (Innovation & Invention) and Jesse DeMeyer (Performing Arts).

Approximately 120 of Iowa’s gifted students attend the highly selective and prestigious institute. The institute provides exceptionally talented students with an intensive and advanced educational experience designed to enhance their intellectual and social growth.

Pictured are Marshalltown High School students selected as Gear Up ambassadors along with a few MHS staff members. Pictured, front row, from left, MHS counselor Lydia Arevalo, Aida Almanza, Olivia Brintnall, Mia Barajas, Kaci Uhde and MHS Dean of Students Dan Terrones. Second row, Gear Up coordinator Connie Gardalen, Joseph Harris, George Penning and Abigail Murty. Third row, Jenny Sauer, Min Thurein, Caleb Jones and The Ha. Fourth row, Gina Morelos Hernandez, Alma Rivera Reyes, Abbileni Rodriguez, Diana Sanchez, Taylor Duff and Jazmyn Sink. Back row, Nalleli Nava, Monica Chavez Nava, Leydi Chavarria, Emily Albarran and Amy Yepez Gomez. Not pictured are Maria Aguilera Torres, Lisbeth Cervantes Reynosa and Donovan Gavagan.

A group of 25 Marshalltown High School sophomores have been selected to be Gear Up program ambassadors for the class.

Gear Up is a federal grant to assist with college and career readiness for the Class of 2020 at MHS.

Ambassadors will help with Gear Up events, service learning projects, Saturday school and other volunteer opportunities. They were selected through a voluntary application process.

“They have a positive attitude and are ready to lead the Gear Up cohort through the next two years at MHS,” said Connie Gardalen, Gear Up coordinator at MHS.

Individual state speech qualifiers from Marshalltown High School include, from left, Ashlyn Ruiz, Bianca Nuradrina, Phoebe Osgood and Ryan Levis. Not pictured above is Mackenzie Moyer.

The Iowa High School Speech Association held its southeast district speech contest for individual entries on  February 24 at Marshalltown High School, which featured more than 30 schools and more than 500 entries.

MHS had five students students earn Division I ratings to qualify for the state contest, which is March 10 in Cedar Rapids.

Mackenzie Moyer

Division I ratings and state qualifiers from MHS included: senior Ryan Levis for an original written literary program, senior Bianca Nuradrina for her expository address and literary program, junior Phoebe Osgood for poetry and storytelling, junior Mackenzie Moyer for after dinner speaking and sophomore Ashlyn Ruiz for her original oratory.

Freshmen Freddy Ross III and Sammuel Wilder earned Division II ratings for poetry and improv respectfully. Junior Nathan Thill earned a Division II for his poetry entry.

MHS speech coach Jocelyn Frohwein, who led the event as host, thanked all of those who helped with the contest.

“The district event was a huge success and would not be possible without the wonderful student volunteers, community volunteers and staff that volunteered their time and effort,” Frohwein said. “Hosting this event allows for the funding of the speech program for Marshalltown High School and allows us to showcase our building, students and staff. What a great way to show off our community, school, staff and especially our students.”

These three Miller Middle School students were awarded by the Morning Optimist Club on February 27 for their essays, From left is Quinton Lacey (second place), Rebekah Stone (first place) and Derek Peng (third place).

The Marshalltown Morning Optimist Club honored three Miller Middle School students on February 27 for their winning Optimist Club essays.  Rebekah Stone earned first place, Quinton Lacey placed second and Derek Peng earned third place.  All of the students wrote on the assigned topic: “Can society function without respect?”  

Several Miller and Lenihan Intermediate School Extended Learning Program students competed in the essay contest sponsored by the club.    

To view the award winning essays, visit www.marshalltown.k12.ia.us/award-winning-essays.

Tyler Kluver, a 2013 Marshalltown High School graduate, displays jerseys, helmets and awards from his time on the University of Iowa football team. He spoke to students at Franklin Elementary School on February 26.

University of Iowa graduate and former Hawkeye football player Tyler Kluver visited Franklin Elementary School for a special assembly on February 26. Kluver, who recently graduated with a degree in exercise science, served as a long snapper on the Hawkeyes football team. He is a 2013 Marshalltown High School graduate and son of Franklin teacher Shelly Kluver and Miller Middle School teacher Todd Kluver.

Tyler, along with Marshalltown Schools Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte, a former Central College football player, talked about the keys to being successful through the Franklin R-CATS theme. R-CATS at Franklin stands for Respectful, Caring, Active Learners, Thoughtful Choices and Stay Safe.

Kluver and Dr. Schutte also displayed football snapping and catching skills for the students.

Franklin third grader Noah Gartin was picked to receive an autographed Iowa Hawkeye football, signed by Kluver and his teammates including Josey Jewell, Akrum Wadley, Josh Jackson and more. Kluver hopes to get a shot at the National Football League along with many of his teammates this year.

For a video on the visit, click here.

Third grader Noah Gartin won an autographed football.

Franklin counselor Karen Mussig is excited as she introduces Tyler Kluver and Marshalltown Schools Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte.

Pictured are members of the Miller Middle School Science Bowl team including, from left, Derek Peng, Jacob Swartz, Marcus Barker, Josh Reynolds and Nile Christensen.

The Miller Middle School Science Bowl team traveled to Iowa State University to compete in the Middle School Science Bowl on February 24, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.  

The team won two of four morning rounds of competition and then moved on to a three-way tie-breaker round, but didn’t advance to the afternoon competition.

“It was a great day of competition and learning for the Bobcat team,” said Ann Jackson, Extended Learning Program teacher at Miller.  

The Miller Middle School jazz band competed at the Jazz Summit at Coe College in Cedar Rapids on Friday, February 23. Out of eight competing bands, the Miller jazz band took third place in the competition. Miller eighth grader Moses Albarran earned an honorable mention for his outstanding jazz solo.

Miller Middle School eighth grader Phoebe Hermanson is pictured competing in the regional spelling bee at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois on February 21. She placed third at the contest.

Miller Middle School eighth grade student Phoebe Hermanson placed third in the regional spelling bee held on February 21 at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.

Phoebe Hermanson

Hermanson’s third place finish came against a field of 55 spelling bee champions from eastern Iowa and western Illinois.  Hermanson won Miller’s spelling bee on January 12 which qualified her for regionals.

The winner of the regional bee was Daniel Healy of Port Byron, Illinois who will receive an all expense paid trip to the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. this spring.

The regional event was sponsored by the Dispatch-Argus, which had a story on the contest at this link.